GRIP International Brings Luxury Fashion to the Fairway

Please tell us about your company.

We started as a small venture, and throughout our company’s history, we have gone through many steps. I am now supported by my son and our many young staff, all very  capable of handling both domestic and global business needs. We are looking to grow these young, talented individuals so that we can expand in the global market in the future. Looking back 23 years ago, when we were founded, this market was really solidified. What I mean by that is that major apparel brands were quite dominant in the market, and there was not much competition.

From our understanding, these days, your company competes with other Japanese companies, including Pearly Gates and Jack Bunny, which are both known for their high-quality style internationally. Additionally, you have companies like Honma that are looking to get into apparel, as well as heavyweights like Nike, Adidas, and Callaway. Can you tell us what some of your competitive advantages are and how you firmly compete with heavyweights such as Nike?

When I established this company, there were large players, and these big players had one brand for each sport. They were really well established, and the Japanese golf apparel market at the time was about JPY 100 billion. There was no big change in terms of the scale, and so the market shares of companies remained unchanged for a while. If you decide to enter this market, you could either target the niche field or go for something bigger and make a big wave against the major players. Targeting a niche field doesn’t really make sense because the market itself is really small. Everyone thought that small players would never be able to compete with the major ones. I worked for an apparel company called World, and within that company, I was able to grow one of the apparel brands to JPY 10 billion. I thought that if I entered the golf wear market, I could throw a small stone at it to make big waves.

Of course, I wanted to grow my own brand, but my biggest goal was to make waves in the market. The part that I played was making the market more attractive, and as a result, we saw more brands enter. I am proud to say that I was able to make a change in the market.

Heal Creek Spring 2024 Collection

Japan is now the world’s second-biggest market in terms of golf players, second only to the US. In 2022, there were 10 million Japanese golf players, and brands such as yours are able to tap into this growth and earn a strong international reputation for golf apparel. How do you define the uniqueness of Japanese golf apparel?

While Nike and Adidas has only a single image – a sporty image – to their brand, Japanese golf wear brands have a wide variety of images, ranging from elegance to casual sportiness. So even though the market itself is small, the way that Grip International approach this market is the same as the approach made with luxurious brands in the fashion industry.

By being a market leader and engineering a new segment, we attracted many other brands to join.  We were not given any funds from other companies, but each time we made a new brand, we prepared presentations to gain support. I personally am not a creator, so I don’t specialize in manufacturing. Instead, my specialties lie in merchandising.

The existing market had become saturated, but the creation of the new market sparked a shift, drawing interest from the established market as well. This transition breathed new life into the golf wear industry, driving its revitalization.

When we think about golf in the past, the image of affluent older men comes to mind. However, this is no longer true, and the game is now increasingly popular with younger people, particularly women. According to Golf Digest, the number of women playing golf has risen to 25% of all golfers, up from 19% a decade ago. What opportunities does this shift in the demographic present to your company, and how are you tapping into this growth in the market?

I think this change was partly due to our own efforts. Over 20 years ago, when we imagined golf wear, it was mostly clothes for old me. In particular, golf was seen as a rich person’s sport. Rather than enjoying the sport, most people who played golf used it to facilitate business deals. Around that time, At that time, students were more interested in joining fashion apparel companies than golf wear brands. Over the course of four years, we visited universities in Kobe, passionately appealing to their recruitment departments with our vision to "transform the golf industry." Our efforts paid off, with over 100 students from these universities attending our recruitment presentations. I visited numerous design schools to share a fresh perspective and challenge the misconception, aiming to highlight how golf wear brands can indeed be stylish and fashionable. We also collaborated with fashion schools about the idea that golf wear brands can be stylish.

There are so many luxury brands out in the market, and these include huge names such as Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, and Prada. We wanted to create a golf wear market that can accept those who like luxurious brands. In the past the market size was JPY 100 billion as I mentioned, and that market was dominated by large established players, but I really didn’t want to be called niche. Rather, I wanted to be called a pioneer in a new market, blazing a trail as a trendsetter. Although our company may not be that big in terms of capital size, today, I finally feel as though my efforts for the last 23 years have been recognized.

A major problem affecting Japan right now is the demographic shift. As it stands today, Japan’s population is around 125 million, but this is expected to drop to 100 million by 2040, creating an 11 million worker deficit along with a significantly decreased domestic market to sell products to. What challenges does this create for your company, and to what extent do you believe looking internationally solves some of Japan’s woes?

Speaking about the golf industry, when we created a new market, we were able to tackle all ages. Even though the population is declining, there has been no correlation between this and the number of domestic golf players. I think the reason we haven’t suffered is because we were able to create this new market.

From the very beginning, my sights were set on the global market. Even 23 years ago, I recognized the looming threat of a declining population, and I made a clear, unwavering decision to expand internationally before the company had even launched. We had already forged strong relationships with partners in Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea, laying the groundwork for a bold and ambitious global presence. This was never just about building a business—it was about redefining the industry's boundaries on a worldwide scale.

The Asian market is the closest to us. If we looked at the US market and asked people what Japanese brands they would like to wear, I think most would say brands such as Yohji Yamamoto. All of these brands are named after the designers. It is very hard to be recognized by advanced countries in terms of fashion. I thought that a sportswear brand had the best chance of being recognized internationally. This led us to try to tie up some American partnerships. However, so far, Asia has been the region that has accepted us the most. We have decided to tackle this region first.

Talking about your brands, Grip International’s flagship brand is Heal Creek, a concept that is elegant and combines the worlds of golf and fashion. Among the many brands your company offers, which are you most excited about moving forward? What strategies are you utilizing to make your golf apparel appeal in international markets?

Heal Creek is our flagship brand, as you mentioned, and until we came along, we’d never seen golf apparel that incorporated current fashion trends. Japanese people love characters, and while many golf wear designs focus on character-based themes, we focused on perfecting the silhouette in our designs. Another thing we tried to push is the fact that people can play golf in our apparel but look elegant doing so. This concept has been highly accepted by golf players in South Korea and Taiwan. It can be challenging to connect with European audiences, as they often believe that sportswear should prioritize functionality over fashion. However, this presents an exciting opportunity for us to introduce them to the unique blend of style and performance that our designs offer.

MUNITALP is our premium monotone brand that used to be called Heal Creek Platinum. We removed Heal Creek and then flipped the mirror image of the word platinum, resulting in MUNITALP. This brand uses only white and black, making the brand more fashionable. Another brand I’m excited to highlight is VIVA HEART, a game-changer in golf wear that brings bold, vibrant fashion to the course. Designed to uplift players and inspire confidence, it turns every round of golf with friends into a dynamic, colorful experience. Embracing its unique concept, VIVA HEART is proudly worn by Ayaka Furue, currently ranked 9th in the world ranking, as she competes in prestigious tournaments across the United States.

VIVA HEART 2025 SS COLLECTION

Key partnerships for your company include your exclusive distribution partnership with BLACKYAK. Are you seeking any new business partnerships domestically or abroad, and if so, can you tell us more about them?

BLACKYAK is Korea’s number one outdoor apparel company, and golf wear is another pillar of their business. They also started as a small venture, and we were told that the president and his wife really enjoyed Heal Creek. Eventually, they chose to work with us because the histories of BLACKYAK and Grip International were very similar. The president of BLACKYAK was very particular about picking a company that could grow together with his company.

Another company we work with is called TLC Korea, which specializes in caddy bags. Oftentimes, we are found by these potential companies. We have a dynamic team of young talent ready to excel in international business. I hope these employees will spread their wings and find potential partners for our company.

Imagine that we come back in two years and have this interview all over again. What goals or dreams do you hope to achieve by the time we come back for that new interview?

Although we have been in the business for 23 years now, our brands are bursting with potential and limitless opportunities for growth, ready to reach new heights. In two years, I hope to have made more progress in establishing these brands and getting them recognized by the global market. By using these brands as a starting point, we can push our company further and expand globally.

In addition to Heal Creek, MUNITALP, and VIVA HEART, Fine Second is a golf wear shop offering a curated selection of eight brands handled by GRIP INTERNATIONAL, including HENRY Club, Rosasen, CHERVO, J.LINDEBERG, and SKINS.

The shop is located in Kobe’s Sannomiya district.

For more information, please visit their website at: https://www.grip-inter.com/contents/index_en.html